Drake - Part 8
Prompt: They spread a blanket on the hill to watch the Perseid meteor shower. One of them made a wish. The other caught them making it.
“Can we head out to our place tonight? To watch the Perseid meteor shower?”
Grant’s question caught me off-guard. The couple of times we’d gone since July 4th had been on my suggestion. Heading off to the mountains, though, would never be a destination I’d turn down. That he’d started to think of the clearing as our place struck a deep chord within me. We hadn’t said the words, but it was there in everything we did together, from our quick coffee dates to dinner out to hanging with my brothers, to spending time in my bed or his. I was head over heels. So why hadn’t I told him? Why hadn’t he said anything? What the fuck was holding either of us back?
When I replied yes to the impromptu trip, I made a second silent decision as well. I’d tell him today, up on our mountain, in our spot, on a blanket under the stars.
We left after he was done with work, him riding pillion behind me again, his arms around me, one hand on my cock as he pressed his chest to my back. Fuck, I was so gone for this guy. We didn’t talk much on the drive, which made me a little nervous. From the moment I picked him up outside his condo, I got the feeling he had something on his mind. I wondered for a hot minute whether we were on the same page, but there hadn’t been anything to indicate he wanted to call it quits.
Sure, he’d been working a lot more lately, so we hadn’t spent as much time together as I would have liked. His job was important, as was mine, and sometimes life just got in the way of relationships. I was determined, though, for us not to be a casualty of such a demise. If there was work to be done to save us, I’d put in twice as much. I doubted I could do much to help him with his job, but asked anyway.
“I got muscles, you know.” I flexed playfully on a straightaway. “If you need help staging houses or putting up signs…”
Grant chuckled and, with his arms around me, squeezed me tighter. “I’ve got minions whom I pay very well to do those things for me. Thank you for your concern, but there’s not much you could do to help me with this deal. The buyer is being a jackass about the financing. It’s not even a house.” His sigh sounded very heavy through the speaker.
“Commercial property?” I mentally scratched my head, trying to remember if I’d seen signs for commercial property anywhere in Brawley, outside of our downtown main street. “Wait, is this the same guy you said was giving you the creeps? I thought you said you washed your hands of him.” Fuck, I tried to keep the possessive growl out of my voice, but doubted my success when he hugged me again.
“I did, but he came back. He apologized, and everything was good for the first month or so. It’s a huge sale. I don’t want to lose the commission, but he’s insisting on paying in cash, and nobody in the business world does that. You want financing, so you can offset it yearly on your taxes. Paying cash… that’s just sending up all sorts of red flags. I sent out a few inquiries, but haven’t gotten anything back yet.”
The way Grant was talking about this dude was giving me all sorts of red flags, too. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything I could personally do, but thankfully, there were people I knew who could. I briefly slipped my left hand off the handle and rubbed Grant’s thigh. “You should talk to Alden.”
“Your Prez? Why?”
“He knows people.”
Grant didn’t say anything for a few minutes, and I didn’t rush him. Dealing with Alden usually meant owing him a favor. Now, would I absolutely take on whatever that favor might be at a later date…? One hundred percent, if I could. Prez knew people; he knew the kinds of thoughts they had, the kind of people they were. I doubted he’d ask Grant to do anything nefarious, but Grant had to make that decision.
“Yeah, alright,” he finally said, so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.
“Good. If he can, he’ll help.” I pulled into the empty parking lot and into a spot. Once I cut the engine, Grant dismounted, but I didn’t let him get far. I snagged the back of his jacket and tugged him to stand where I could see him. Seeing his lopsided smile when he popped off his helmet made me happy. Fuck-a-duck, I loved seeing that wicked grin. I wanted to keep him happy all the damn time just so I could.
“Stay,” I ordered, releasing him so I could take off my helmet. I shoved a gloved hand through my hair, then tipped my chin up. “Kiss me.”
God, could his smile get any more mischievous? And that glint in his eyes… Fucking yum. I pursed my lips as he leaned down, his hands landing on my shoulders to keep his balance. The first touch of our mouths was entirely too chaste, but Grant softened and deepened the kiss as I snuck my hands beneath the hem of his jacket, latching onto his hips and holding him in place.
I hummed when we finally parted, blinking open my eyes in the dimming light of sunset to take him in. Mine rumbled unhelpfully through my mind, primeval in my want of this gorgeous man. He quirked his eyebrows at me and darted in to place another quick kiss on my lips before he backpedaled away, giving me room to dismount.
Grant slung the backpack off his shoulders and dug inside, pulling out a couple of small flashlights. “I’ve got some of those thin emergency blankets in here, too. And some snacks.”
“What about a tent?” I asked, unlatching my saddlebag.
“No. Why? I wasn’t planning on sleeping out here.”
“We could, if you want. I have a little setup that’ll fit us both.”
Grant pouted. “I wish I’d thought of that. I’d have had you bring it.”
Giving him the biggest, cheesiest smile I could, I said, “I did.”
“I knew I liked you.”
I laughed as I bagged up the two-person camping tent and lightweight bedrolls. I tucked in my own small flashlight along with some trail mix, water bottles, and a travel-size bottle of mouthwash.
“Smart. We’ll appreciate that in the morning.”
“Yup.” I zipped up my backpack and slipped it on as Grant did the same. “Come on, we’re burning daylight.”
Grant snickered as we made our way to the trailhead. “You and your dad-isms.”
“When patients are stressed, they help.”
“No doubt.” Grant slipped his hand into mine. He continued making idle chit-chat as we hiked to our spot, slipping between the trees and shrubs until we cleared the forest’s edge and stood alone on the out-cropping with nothing by darkening skies, the moon, and the first hint of stars.
As I pitched the tent and unrolled the bedding, stacking them for the cushioning of layers, and adding one of his shiny, crinkly blankets on top, Grant asked with a hopeful lilt, “Any chance you brought those ground chairs?”
“Of course. In my bag.” They were one of the best purchases I ever made. A combination cushion and backrest for comfort while sitting on the ground. Had a handy water bottle pouch, too.
“Excellent.” Grant set out the second blanket and chairs and gathered up our snacks. “Had I known we’d be staying, I would have suggested bringing some beer.”
I shook my head as I knelt beside where he reclined on the blanket. “I don’t need it. You make my thoughts too crazy as it is.” I waved my hands around in a weird mimicry.
Grant grabbed one of my hands and held it in both of his. “I feel the same way.”
This was it. This was the moment I’d been waiting for.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I gaped, shocked speechless. He’d beaten me to it, but I couldn’t be mad. Slowly, regaining my senses, my lips curved into a smile without any thought from me.
“Drake?”
“Uh-huh?”
“Did you hear me? I said, I love you.”
“Yeah…” My grin grew. “I heard you.”
Grant’s expression sobered. “You’re scaring me.”
“I am?” Oh, fuck, that was the last thing I wanted to do. How in the world was I scaring him… Oh, God. I slapped my free hand over my eyes. “I’m such a dork. Don’t be scared. Please. You just surprised me.”
“Really? I thought you knew.”
“Well…” I shrugged sheepishly. “I suspected.”
“So…”
“So…?” JFC, I was an idiot. I shook out of his grip and then took both his hands in mine and squeezed them. “Grant, I love you. The whole ride here I’d been planning when and how to tell you. You beat me to the punch.”
“Well, I suspected, too.” Grant leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to my lips. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like us to be dorks together.”
“Hell, yeah,” I whispered back. “I’d like that. A lot.”
“Me, too.” Grant glanced around. “I think it’s dark enough that we’ll be able to see the meteor shower. Let’s sit and talk. Let’s plan while we watch the moon cross the sky and make wishes on every shooting star we see.”
Fucking A, I loved it when he got all poetic. We sat side by side, my hand on his thigh, his hand on mine, and tilted our heads back. It wasn’t long before we both saw the first bolt of light crisscross the clear night sky, gasping at the awe-inspiring sight. When I turned to Grant, I saw he had his eyes closed; his lips moved as he whispered his wish into the universe. I supposed I could have made a wish as well, but why bother… My wish had already come true.
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